Divanee - South Asian news and entertainmentSouth Asian and Indian news and entertainment2014-03-21T13:59:31Zhttp://divanee.com/feed/atom/WordPressMiral F. Sattarhttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/miralee/http://divanee.com/?p=142392014-03-21T13:59:31Z2014-03-21T13:56:50ZYou know something is going to officially go mainstream when Oprah gets behind it.
As a person obsessed with experimenting with tea blend, imagine how excited I was when I saw that Oprah Winfrey was launching her own blend of Oprah Chai. The tea, inspired by her trip to India, is being produced by Teavana (recently bought out by Starbucks).

The announcement:

We’re excited to announce a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Oprah Winfrey to create Teavana Oprah Chai Tea. A robust infusion of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves blended with loose-leaf black tea and rooibos, Teavana Oprah Chai will be available in Starbucks and Teavana locations in time for Mother’s Day.

Sounds like they’re making a legit version to compete with the chai lattes across the country. I actually just bought a version of their Maharaja Chai blend yesterday, but the Oprah version sounds much more legit.

What do you think? Would you buy Oprah Chai?

]]>0Saniya Tabanihttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/saniyatab/http://divanee.com/?p=139212014-02-21T19:50:25Z2014-02-10T03:26:09ZLong before the atrocious Delhi gang rapes, there was Mukhtar Mai. Hers is one of the first few stories to break the news many years ago on the topic of gang rapes going routinely unnoticed and unpunished in the East.
A story that, like those of many others before her, could’ve very easily gotten lost, but was instead brought to light because of her courage and tenacity. A story recently adapted for a New York City opera by singer and composer, Kamala Sankaram – who also notably plays the role of Mukhtar- and librettist, Susan Yankowitz.

As retribution for her younger brother allegedly committing an honor crime against a girl of a rival tribe in Pakistan, Mukhtar was sentenced by tribal leaders to be gang raped by the very men of that tribe in 2002. Helpless, desolate, and shamed by the stigma that clung to her in the presence of her family and villagers, Mukhtar teetered on and retracted from the cusp of suicide to bravely fight for justice. In a society and culture where a woman represents her family’s honor, it took immeasurable courage and conviction for Mukhtar to fight these injustices and transform into an activist for women’s rights despite her illiteracy– a role and plight that Sankaram manages to essay with beautiful ease and undoubted conviction.

While opera isn’t quite a medium that has incorporated or been approached by many South Asians, Sankaram and Yankowitz take on the challenge to bring Mukhtar’s journey to a wider audience…and they deliver spectacularly. The music, composed by Sankaram, draws from her experience as a classically trained Sitar player and is infused with flavors of the East with instruments such as harmonium, flute, and dhol incorporated into each song. And while the libretto is in English, the identity of Mukhtar and her family’s culture remains perfectly in tact. Sankaram’s voice is powerful and piercing, moving you from tears during her struggle to jubilance at her ultimate victory. She has the courage and vulnerability that set this rendition of Mukhtar’s story aside from others. There is something hauntingly real and genuine about witnessing her emotions in person as opposed to a piece of paper or television. The supporting cast is top notch as well. A special mention goes to Theodora Hanslowe, essaying the role of Mukhtar’s mother, who in an inspiring and moving scene, lovingly evokes confidence in her daughter who has lost everything including the will to live. Manu Narayan is exceptional as the tribal leader, Faiz, who is so far deeply rooted in the customs of his tribe that he is blind to the difference between right and wrong. He’s the menacing villain who encompasses all the problems with the customs and traditions that set women further back in the name of honor, and ultimately the commendably presented idea that it is man who causes these problems…not religion.

The set is simple but relies on strong imagery like the beautifully embroidered canvas that serves as the background with images of Mukhtar projected onto it, and thatched beds that double as standing walls and doors. The premise of the name, Thumprint, comes from the first step Mukhtar takes towards putting her perpetrators behind bars by signing her testimony with her thumbprint (an alternative to signing for the illiterate). That one tiny thumbprint represents her immense courage and strength, and that earnest yearning for a better future. As the canvas finally displays a glaring thumbprint, a sense of awe at the human ability to overcome adversity washes over the audience. And if that wouldn’t raise the hairs on the back of your neck, what could?

Below are some excerpts from an interview conducted with Kamala shortly after her performance:

Why Mukhtar Mai? What inspired you to choose her story?

“The first time I heard of Mukhtar was back in 2009. Beth, who ended up producing this opera, had asked me to write a song cycle for a concert she was producing. She had just seen the play that Susan Yankoqitz had written, Seven, and was inspired by Mukhtar. She knew I was Indian and tended to write things that have a political leaning to them. She thought I should take a look at Mukhtar. I read her autobiography and found her very inspirational and used that as the source material for a tiny 12 minute long song cycle that was nice but not long enough to capture the entire story. I went back to Beth after the concert and told her I thought this could be something longer – it could be a full length opera. She agreed and tracked down Susan and we decided to write something together. We received a grant, and then we decided to do it at this festival. Then the Delhi gang rape happened. It’s unfortunate that it’s so timely but it’s a story that affects anyone that’s a woman. It’s amazing now that more people are talking about it and aware of.”

Why opera as a medium as opposed to anything else?

“Well, there are a couple of reasons. One, because the majority of the people that are coming to see this don’t know about Pakistan, have never been to Pakistan, and will probably never go to Pakistan. Music is immediate and can immediately put you into a person’s emotional state even if you don’t know anything about them or their culture. Music also can give you a window into a culture because it’s universal. Part of it is to create Mukhtar’s world and make her emotional state available to the audience. The other thing is that it’s essentially a story about someone finding their voice. So, I feel like the operatic voice has a way of showing that because it’s possible for it to have such power- especially in a tiny theatre like this. In the end, we see Mukhtar’s voice transform into this thing it wasn’t before: this literal representation of her journey.”

Can you tell us a bit more about your musical background? And how you went about combining both Eastern and Western influences in the music?

“It took a little while to figure out what the right balance was. I’m a sitar player also. I’m familiar with the raaga system and I chose to make the pieces using raagas and western song forms. I used the raagas to create harmonies while having a western structure the audience could still follow. “

There’s a great discussion on the stigma about rape and victim/female blaming, especially in Mukhtar’s story. How do you see that progressing in society now that more people are aware?

“I think part of what continues that part of the stigma and culture is that people are afraid to say anything. And you see this in America too! It’s not just an Indian or Pakistani problem. It’s the shame that surrounds it, and that’s why Mukhtar’s story is important because she chose to speak out. And that’s the beginning of her journey, because if she hadn’t chosen to speak out there could’ve been like so many other women. The fact that she wasn’t afraid to be heard is what’s so inspirational about her. That actually is what I see as a sign of hope now that people are starting to talk about it… and not just the women, the men are also coming out and saying that this cannot continue …which is not something you saw ten years ago. The difference between ten years ago and now is also that social media and exposure in the media has also helped because people are more aware of what happens now.”

How have you prepared for a role like this that clearly takes such an emotional toll on the performer? How do you decompress at the end of a performance?“The preparation was just rereading her autobiography and watching her documentary. A lot of it is just being aware of what it is to be a woman. I have no experienced what she has been through but I have definitely been harassed in ways that I don’t want and I think just drawing on that experience helps to go to that place. But it is emotionally taxing to go there every night. So I don’t do anything during the day. I just come here and then go home!”

What are your plans for the future of Thumbprint?

“We would really like for it to go somewhere else after its run in New York. We’re hoping it will go to India and Pakistan eventually. “

While Mukhtar has made great strides towards education by starting a school, what do you think would be a good solution for the condition of women on the other side of the world who find themselves in similar situations?“I think education is the key to everything. If a woman knows that she has rights and is empowered to support herself and doesn’t have to rely on getting married it makes a huge difference. The problem is that in many cultures still, that’s the only way a woman can survive- by having a husband because she’s not allowed to be educated or work.”

Has Mukhtar seen this?“She’s aware of it and has given it her blessings. She skyped in after a show and was given a video of the show, but I don’t know if she’s watched it or not!”

]]>0Saniya Tabanihttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/saniyatab/http://divanee.com/?p=133862013-11-22T03:31:47Z2013-11-22T17:28:15ZBefore you head out to the theaters this weekend to get your latest Bollywood fix, check out Saniya Tabani’s review for Goliyon Ka Raas Leela Ram Leela.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s latest magnum opus, starring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone ,recently faced quite a third act twist as right before its release when the Indian censor board decided to cut down a lengthy and provocative kissing scene (where was this censor board, I ask you, when all our eyes were being assaulted by the highly uncomfortable Shahrukh/Katrina sex scene/make outs in Jab Tak Hai Jaan), and various activist groups assumed that the original title was misleading innocent audience members, who apparently live under rocks and/or are immune to the hefty marketing of the film, causing the makers of the film to rename it as Goliyon Ka Raas Leela Ram Leela. Despite these obstacles though, Bhansali’s adaptation of the tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet opened to packed houses and high praise.

This Shakespearean adaptation isn’t the first in recent times (see the less lauded Ishaqzaade and Issaq) but it is certainly the most poignant and evocative one to come out of Bollywood. Ram Leela is, from top to bottom, completely Bhansali’s lovechild with him as the producer, director, writer, editor, and soundtrack composer – an overwhelming feat. The premise is the same – it’s the execution that’s extraordinary. Bhansali has intricately woven a love story between lovers whose fate we all know but still root for till the very end. His spectacularly painted canvas is the quaint village of Ranjaar in Gujurat, where town and palace walls are covered in signature Bhansali vivid colors, rangolis and grand, flowing curtains. The film is beautifully infused with Gujurati culture, garb, songs, and dialect. Guns are more openly and easily sold and bought here than produce. If you’re willing to suspend belief – as you inevitably will- you can go along with the fact that even though this village seems to be stuck in an era of the past, they all utilize the latest cellphone technology (selfies and twitter references included).

Our warring families, the Saneras and Rajadis, have been at each other’s throats for 500 years. And so it is only poetic justice that when Ram Rajadi (Ranveer Singh) first locks eyes with Leela Sanera (Deepika Padukone) at a visually stunning and beautifully choreographed Holi scene, it’s love/lust at first sight. Undeniably so, the film’s greatest gifts are its lead characters. Yes, their chemistry is on fire: it’s raw, visceral, and overpowering, but the actors also hold their own and individually deliver the best performances of both their careers.

We’re introduced to our literally chikna, well-oiled hero, Ram, in one of the grandest entrance numbers ever. He’s unapologetically flirty and kitschy, but also charming and vulnerable at all the right times. He plays the star struck lover waging for love over war to a tee. He delivers his cheesy one-liners with such conviction one moment, and completely annihilates your heart holding back sobs and silently streaming tears down his face the next. Ram was created for Ranveer. Similarly, Deepika slips into the skin of Leela with such ease and panache, you cant help but fall in love with the rebellious daughter who vehemently defends her love till the end. She’s got spunk and ferocity…and a wardrobe and some garba moves to die for. Their banter is witty and filled with innuendo which lends to a breezy and fun first half- the only criticism being that their interactions convey more of a lust than love that takes away somewhat from the depth and charm we expect of an authentic Bollywood romance. By the second half, however, both have imbibed the characteristics of star-crossed lovers fighting both their families and fate to be together. They convey the pain, the betrayal, and the longing from their expressions alone. Their devotion to each other is unrelenting, especially in a gasp inducing “sacrifice” sequence. Supriya Pathak awes as the menacing matriarch, Baa. Barkha Bisht and Richa Chaddha are wonderful as the sisters-in-law of the families. Hats off to Bhansali for writing such strong female characters.

A special note needs to be made for the cinematography – the audience revels in beautiful slow motion action shots and running sequences – visually, it’s a masterpiece. The background score is perfectly complementary to each scene. While the soundtrack is highly reminiscent of Bhansali’s older films like Devdas and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, it has given us the addicting “Nagade Sang Dhol”, mischevious “Ishqiyaon Dishkiyaon” and ever haunting “Laal Ishq” (perfectly utilized in the background score as well).

That being said, the film certainly has its pitfalls: the length, some redundant and tiresome sequences, and a superficiality with many supporting characters/subplots who don’t add much to the plot and take away from time that could be devoted to our lovely protagonists instead.

Family viewing barometer: American theatres do not seem to be screening the censored version: lengthy kissing scenes, double entendrees, innuendo, and countless porn references galore.

]]>0Saniya Tabanihttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/saniyatab/http://divanee.com/?p=133782013-11-22T20:44:28Z2013-11-22T03:22:49ZSince his highly praised and promising start in, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, Imran Khan hasn’t exactly had the smoothest path to stardom, garnering a lot of criticism for the chocolate boy persona he has been pigeonholed into. Over the past couple of years, though, Khan has made sure to make his mark on the industry and get noticed for his breakout roles in Delhi Belly and Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. With his upcoming release, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (GTPM), he teams up once again with Dharma Productions and costar, Kareena Kapoor, to bring us a film filled with what he does best: comedy and romance.

Here to promote GTPM, he answers questions on his role, how he deals with the pressures of and criticism in the industry, his opinion of the current events in India, and a cause very close to his heart.

Walking in, he stands glancing out the window trying to take in as much of the city as he can in between interviews, later explaining how he’s been cooped inside doing interviews all day and hasn’t gotten the chance to really enjoy Manhattan. As he sits down to begin answering questions, he shows his phone that displays the current time in India as 3 AM. But despite his exhaustion- and his assertion that he can’t have coffee because it makes him jittery- he shows enthusiasm to get started. For an actor of his fame and stature, he refreshingly has no airs about him. There’s a magnetism and boyish charm about Imran Khan that fans and critics alike say translates very well on screen; and happily so, his real life persona is just as charming, kind and humble.

Tell us about your character, Sriram, and why you selected this role:
“The reason I choose this, or any movie, is because I want to watch it. When I read a script, I ask myself, ‘Would I buy a ticket and watch this movie?’ If the answer is yes, I do the movie. You never know if it’s going to be a hit or flop so really that’s the only thing you can go by – would I watch this movie.
Sriram is not the nicest guy. He’s selfish and self involved. He’s a party boy. He wants to hang out with his friends and hook up with girls and that’s the end of his ambition – he doesn’t really want any more from life. Dia, Bebo’s character, is a social worker and activist. She’s involved in a dozen and a half NGOs. She’s someone who actively wants to and believes that she must change the world. It’s a story of Sriram growing up and becoming a better guy after falling in love with her.
I feel drawn to characters like this – flawed and relatable characters. The kind of guy that you watch the film and feel like you could be and know that person. There’s a tendency in Hindi films that we like our heroes to be larger than life and to be perfect in every single way, and those characters bore me. I like to watch them, sure, but as an actor it’s not very interesting. I feel drawn to flawed and relatable characters. The kind of guy you look at and see how he could be a better guy and wants to be a better guy – and ultimately he does. You root for him.”

This is your second movie with Kareena! Tell us about that experience.
“Even before I started acting, I always liked Kareena. I made it a point to always watch her films because I enjoyed watching her on screen. I campaigned very heavily to have her cast opposite me in Ek Main Aur Ek Tu (he takes a moment to do a victorious fist pump). So from very early on in shooting – obviously it takes a little bit of time to find a rhythm with another actor- but she and I settled into a rhythm quite quickly and easily. I found that it was very easy to work with her. It’s kind of like playing tennis. I would hit and she would shoot back and she would hit and I would shoot back. We had a good volley going. We settled into it very easily. By the time we got to Gori, we had hit the ground running. We were already in this place where we understood each other so well and we were already in sync that it just became so easy to work with her. She really is a pleasure to work with as an actor.”

Are you a tennis fan?
“Not really.”

You made quite the tennis analogy.
“Well, I make a lot of analogies.” (laughs).

So the lyrics of that song have raised a bit of a stir i.e. Izzat se kiss my ass. Were you the kind of kid growing up who had their parents calling their phone “teen so baar” and saying “main ghar nai jaana”? (For our non-Hindi speaking readers, the lyrics in question translate to: “Respectfully, kiss my ass; 300 times called my phone; I don’t want to go home.)

“Funnily enough, no. My parents were always very cool about this kind of stuff. They always treated me with a lot of respect. They gave me a lot of leeway and responsibility and I reciprocated in kind. I never had cause to rebel against them. I guess I got lucky.”

What’s the biggest criticism you’ve gotten, or one role you’ve looked back at and weren’t pleased with your work? What have you taken away from that experience?
“I don’t watch my films. I never watch my films. I think that for any creative person, if you’re honest with yourself, it’s hard to watch your own work because all you can see are your flaws and problems. All the times that I wished I tried harder, I wished I wasn’t so sleepy, I wish I wasn’t in a bad mood that day, I wish we had shot it a different way, or I wish we had tried more. All I can see are the problems and the flaws. I can’t watch any of my work. I do think I’ve learned a lot and gotten better with every film. I am happy that I am getting better. But it doesn’t mean that I can look at my work and say ‘hey, not bad’.”

Inversely, what’s your favorite role that you’ve done so far?
“Delhi Belly. I think creatively that film is closest to my sensibility- to the kind of films that I like to watch and I would like to make. It’s also the closest to my sense of humor.”

You spoke about Dia’s character’s being involved in all of these NGOs and non profits- talk about what kind of charity work you’re involved in.
“I worked with PETA on an animal adoption campaign, specifically encouraging people to adopt animals rather than buying them. They contacted me because that’s what I do: I have six cats and two dogs. I have eight animals in my house – all adopted… all mongrels from the street. I figure what are you going to buy a pedigreed animal for? Give another animal a home instead of letting them die on the street. So I’ve always pushed that cause. Currently I’ve run out of space in my house, and can’t fit any more animals in. Fortunately, Mom and Avantika are just as nuts about animals as I am so we’ve recently bought some land outside of Mumbai and built an animal shelter of my own.”

Outside of the film industry, who is somebody you’d say you look up to as a role model?
(Pauses for a while) “I haven’t really ever thought about that. You’re going to have to give me a little longer than that. I’ll think of something.”

Now that the tragic issue of mass gang rapes in India has finally been brought to light and heavily protested, the image of the “Indian man” seems to have taken quite the beating. Recently, there was an article put forth about the defense of the “good Indian Man”- the brothers, fathers, and sons seen in our families and even films. How do you think the Bollywood fraternity can help bolster women and restore the image of the Indian man?

“It’s a very simplistic view to take and people do this a lot where if a girl is raped or a woman is molested, it becomes about how it’s Katrina Kaif’s fault. It’s such a cop out and its an eye wash by those who are actually in a position of power and influence to quickly shift the blame away. ‘It’s not our fault! It’s damn Bollywood that is corrupting Indian youth’. The fact of the matter is- the ground reality is- that in India, it is culturally accepted that women are inferior to men. Until that mindset changes, nothing is going to change. You can have stricter laws, but the NYPD themselves, in fact, did a study that harsher punishments have absolutely no impact on deterring crime because every criminal that commits a crime believes that they are going to get away with it. They are not thinking about the consequence. They sincerely believe that they will escape justice. So the consequences are irrelevant, whatever they may be. The actual change is only going to come about when the mindset is changed-which will come with education. That is going to take time. So you can ban item songs but that isn’t going to solve anything. You can implement curfews and put more cops on the street, but that isn’t going to do anything. What is actually going to change things is education. And one generation at a time. It’s not going to happen in the next 10 years. It’s going to take 50 years…until you instill in everyone the understanding that women are not inferior to men. They have to understand the value of women in society. Saying what would Bollywood do? Anything we would do becomes a PR exercise. It is only to make us look good. So I can support women’s causes and it’ll make me look good but it won’t do anything. It’s a PR exercise for me.”

Considering India and Pakistan are really the only countries with no harsh punishment for rapes but also seemingly the highest incidents of rape, wouldn’t stricter punishments help?
“It’s irrelevant because nobody cares about the consequences. At what point is the rapist going to start ripping the woman’s clothes and wonder, ‘If I get caught, what will happen’ and say ‘sorry, forgive me’? You have to prevent the crime from happening in the first place. It’s about the mindset, not about the punishment and changing the law. The same way it’s not about changing the dress code: it’s very easily for our politicians to say “she was wearing a low cut top so it’s probably her fault.”

Based on your humbled and grounded upbringing going to a Gurukul school in Ooty where they teach and value hard work, how does that influence how you feel about the current pressure in Bollywood to be a superstar, and how an actor is valued based on the amount of 100 crore films he can rake in?
“It completely frees me from it. Completely. I don’t care at all because I’m able to separate my work from my personal life. However much I love my work – and I do – I do realize that it is just work and there is much more. I have my own life. I have my own value system. And at the end of it, it is important for me to do work I like- work that I’m proud of. And it is important for me to work with people that I like. I could suffer through a miserable time working on a film I don’t really like with people I don’t really like that could make 100 crores and it reaches a preset benchmark set by somebody else- but what do I get out of it? I’m wasting six months of my life with people I don’t like and don’t like me and I don’t want that. I want to do work that I’m proud of. Of course I want the films to do well. Of course I went them to be critically and commercially successful but it’s not the be all and end all. It’s very liberating and it allows me to work at my pace and work to my own standards. At some point, obviously, one should still be commercially viable, though!”

And with that, the time was up and we bid adieu to one of the most enlightening and thoughtful actors of his generation. His final sentiments were to go and enjoy watching GTPM.

Gori Tere Pyaar Mein opens in theatres on November 22, 2013.

]]>0Saniya Tabanihttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/saniyatab/http://divanee.com/?p=131362013-10-23T02:49:25Z2013-10-23T02:43:32ZAnurag Kashyap’s second directorial venture after the colossal hit “Dabangg”, “Besharam” released in over 200 theatres in North America, officially deeming it as Bollywood’s largest domestic and overseas release ever. The timing of such a release was quite special as well as the Bollywood fraternity just recently celebrated 100 years of Bollywood cinema. To celebrate this occasion and promote the release of their new film, one of Bollywood’s most legendary, revered, and beloved families, the Kapoors (Ranbir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh) accompanied by newcomer, Pallavi Sharda, the Reliance team, and producer Himanshu Mehra, held a press conference at the Indian Consulate in New York City. Along with discussing their experiences of working together as a family on set, the cast and crew discussed their favorite memories of Bollywood cinema over the past 100 years, what it means to be a part of the thriving revolution that is Bollywood, and how they see the future of the industry changing and progressing. Here are some of the answers the Kapoors enlightened us with!

How was it working as a family on the sets of Besharam?

Ranbir: “It was amazing to work with my family. I’ve always been a big fan of my father- not just because he’s my father but because he’s a damn good actor! Having the opportunity to act with him and the cherry on top was having my mother there as well. It was a great learning experience. When shooting the song, ‘Chal Hand Utha Ke Nachle’ I was really relaxed on set because I was completely aware that no matter how well I danced, even if I tried to be Michael Jackson, nobody would be looking at me… they’d all be looking at them. I’m really happy we’ve come together in a film like ‘Besharam’ where there’s no personal relationship of the characters, as in they don’t play my biological parents. We’ve all come as individual characters because we individually loved our parts.

What is your take on the recent remakes of all the old classics?
Rishi Kapoor: “It’s not important what I think about remaking films but I for one would not like to tamper with the classics. Classics are not supposed to be tampered with. They’ve been colorizing black and white films. I would not like to see a colorized ‘Awaara’ or a colorized ‘Shree 420’. They are immortal films and they have their own identity. And audiences own these films. Raj Kapoor is public property…his work is public property. I would not like to see them being remade into films in today’s times.”

How does one strategize releasing a film like ‘Besharam’ in North America?
Himanshu Mehra: “It’s a huge film and we have offices here and we work with some of the best talent available within the Bollywood industry here in the US. This film will be one of the largest releases in North America and we hope to release it in over 200 theaters. In context, a large film is usually released in 150 , a small film in 70-80 theatres. I think it’s only fitting. You have a rising superstar and his parents who have immeasurable contribution to the industry in the past 30 years coming together with him!”As a mother to a rising superstar, what kind of tips do you have for him?
Neetu Singh: “Tips kuch nahi hote hain jee. Bring your child up the right way. Always teach them the right values and what’s right and wrong. Guide them and not spoiling them. That’s very important. I did not even know my son wanted to go into acting. I just left it up to him whatever he wants to be. Much later we discovered that he even wanted to be a film actor and he wanted to come to New York to study acting. My husband was shocked but he said ‘Yes, Why not?’ And that’s how it all started.”
Ranbir: “Well it’s not like you expected me to be a doctor or something.”

Pallavi Sharda, on her experience of working with the Kapoors:
“As a family, we all know Rishi Jee, Neetu Jee, and Ranbir as superstars and fantastic actors who entertain us and show us love through the screen. As fellow actors they are the most gracious, supporting, and humble people who never made me feel like a newcomer in the industry. Whenever I go to set I felt like one of them and if I ever have any questions they were always very forthcoming with advice. It comes back to values. It really taught me about longevity in a career and the fact that it comes with one’s values above anything else, and I hope I can emulate that.”

On how the roles were offered to them:
Ranbir: “When Abhinav came with the script of Besharam, it wasn’t offered to us as a family package. It was a natural and organic process. He offered the film first to me and I loved the part and the space of the film. And the other role was written for my father. When he came home to offer the film to him, he met my mother there. After that meeting he came to me and said he’s dividing the role into that of two people because he thought it would be really interesting to see both my parents as these two cops. Now I say this with a lot of conviction that my mother was the best performance in the film.”

What was the most Besharam thing Ranbir did growing up?
Ranbir: “Before my parents embarrass me and answer this, I’d rather answer myself. I think I’ve always been a very shy person. I’m a bit of an introvert so the camera does give me some reason to be besharam on screen. And when we say besharam we aren’t trying to embarrass you like I’m removing my clothes are trying to embarrass you in front of your family. Besharam means an attitude. It means not bothering with what the world will say about what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s actually being besharam in your heart. So don’t take the literal meaning to heart but when you see the movie you’ll understand what it means.”

What was your favorite memory of being on the sets with your father(s)?
Rishi Kapoor : I am very fortunate to have worked in three films with my late father Raj Kapoor: “Mera Naam Joker”, “Bobby” and “Prem Rog”. I cannot single out one memory of him because with your father, all you’ve got is memories. He was always there for me in every way. And today whatever I am is because of him…not only because he was my biological father, but he was my guru. Everything that I know of my craft today is only because of him.

Ranbir Kapoor: “Well on a lighter note, in my real life I don’t think I’ve ever looked into my father’s eyes and spoken to him. So during the first scene we did together, I actually discovered his eye color.And there was so much conviction to what he was doing in that moment in that scene and it was so effortless and natural. Sometimes when we act, we want to put in so much trying to over-express ourselves. But the naturalness and the spontaneity of him saying those lines to me…it helps actors so much because you just have to react to him and your performance will be enriched. So my first scene with him when I had to look into his eyes was memorable for me.”

What was the most challenging scene you had to do in “Besharam” with your parents?Ranbir: “Well there was this one scene where I have to tie up my father and hurl abuses at him. So I’ve gagged his mouth and I’ve tied him up and I’m saying all these things to him. I was very nervous and I tried to do it one take. Unfortunately we had to do two or three takes. I was a little scared because he has a bit of a temper problem and it was very hot in Delhi at that time. But he was really amazing and we did three takes without any screaming.”

On Indian and Pakistani cinema merging and if the Kapoor family will ever work with the Pakistani film industry:
Rishi: Yes, we did make a film called “Henna” with Zeba Bakthiar. The film was a very successful film and it was welcome by Pakistan as well. Our friend sand fans in Pakistan are always so welcoming. As far as a visit to Pakistan is concerned, because of the troubled times in Pakistan and security concerns, they have told us to wait and they will call us when the opportune time comes. We all look forward to going back to the place where our ancestors are from.
“Humara pyaar hamesha bana rahe. Humari dosti bani rahe. Yeh siyasati cheezein to chalti rahengi lekin dilon se dil milte rahein bus yehi achi baat hai.”

Ranbir: I’m a big fan of Shoaib Mansoor’s “Bol” and “Khuda Ke Liye”. He had come to India and had said he wanted to do another film on a topic like this- taking an actor from Pakistan and India. Unfortunately, the time frame in which he wanted to work didn’t work out. But I would love to shoot a film with Pakistan, or shoot a film IN Pakistan. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love and support you have shown towards Indian movies and I hope we can reciprocate it by making good and entertaining movies that entertain you.

When asked about to describe the Kapoor’s contribution to Indian cinema over the years, after taking some time to mull it over, Ranbir very charmingly and endearingly responded: “Bollywood without the Kapoors…is like Superman without his red underwear.” And that is exactly why millions of fans are willing to be besharam and lose their badtameez dils over the Kapoors.

]]>0Janelle Li-A-Pinghttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/liaping91/http://divanee.com/?p=131232013-10-19T23:58:05Z2013-10-19T23:58:05ZIt’s our favorite Slumdog star like you’ve never seen her before. The ever-versatile actress, now turned video vixen, stars in pop superstar Bruno Mars’ ‘Gorilla’ music video. Pinto plays a pole dancing stripper carrying on a steamy love affair with the club singer, played by Bruno Mars. When she is not baring it all on stage, Pinto and and Mars are lip locked in an intense makeout session for most of the six minutes. A far cry from her demure days as Latika, this video is by far her most risque performance yet. Check it out!

]]>0Janelle Li-A-Pinghttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/liaping91/http://divanee.com/?p=130862013-10-14T04:14:48Z2013-10-14T04:10:24ZThe 22-year old Dickinson College student has become an active voice for education and women’s rights in Afghanistan. In an interview with Glamour magazine, Akbar, who was born in Kabul, says she remembers seeing a friend of hers get married and leave school—in seventh grade. ”I could imagine what women looked like in fair societies,” she says. “And I wanted that for my country.” Akbar has now committed her life to attaining equal rights for all women.

In 2011, she co-founded the organization Young Women for Change, a non-profit organization that works for improving gender equality and organizes protests for social reform. Akbar also writes about the issues confronting women in Afghanistan for online magazines and blogs, including Al Jazeera. And though she has received a once in a lifetime opportunity to study sociology at Dickinson in Pennsylvania, she plans to go back home after graduation to on women’s issues full-time.

“I believe that women have the power to change Afghanistan,” she says. “And I want to work on empowering women to realize that they have this power.” Akbar is slated to graduate Dickinson in May 2014.

]]>0Miral F. Sattarhttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/miralee/http://divanee.com/?p=130362013-10-09T22:06:02Z2013-10-09T21:59:53ZA Pakistani international gang of smugglers just got busted for orchestrating one of the UK’s largest drug ring. The drugs, imported from Pakistan and concealed in vegetables and bed linens, were intended to flood the UK market.

The smugglers also used Shaan Masala, popular spices used for Pakistani cooking, to conceal and transport heroin in and out of the US. The drug bust is one of the largest smuggling plots discovered in the UK.

The street value of the drugs are estimated to be $490 million dollars. Now that puts Walter White’s $80 million dollar barrels to shame.

]]>0Janelle Li-A-Pinghttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/liaping91/http://divanee.com/?p=129462013-10-02T05:54:35Z2013-10-02T05:52:58ZThe Pakistani teen and girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai,who made international headlines last year after she survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban, graciously accepted Harvard University’s 2013 Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award last Friday.

Harvard president Drew Gilpin Faust said she was pleased to welcome Malala because of their shared passion for education. Malala was shot in the head last October on a school bus after the Taliban sought to put an end to her influence as spokesperson for women’s right to education.

“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world,” Yousafzai said before a crowd of 900 people at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre. “Let us stand up for our rights, and let us fight. Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.”

]]>0Janelle Li-A-Pinghttp://weddings.divanee.com/members/liaping91/http://divanee.com/?p=128922013-09-18T06:53:34Z2013-09-18T06:40:44ZMiss New York Nina Davuluri, 24, from Syracuse, beat out the most beautiful women from all 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to win the Miss America 2014 title.

Her victory, however, sparked a barrage of racist comments all across the web. Twitter exploded with tweets like, “More like Miss Terrorist” and, “Darn..I wish Miss Kansas would’ve won! Real American woman!!” Bigotry aside, Davuluri’s win was monumental step forward for all South Asian women that cannot be minimized by hate. Perhaps even signifying the inevitable breakdown of the stereotypical fair-skin, blue eyed vision of American beauty.

The truth is Dalvuluri’s beauty goes so far beyond her skin color, and her ancestry; it lies in her ability to overcome. She’s overcome the hurdles of pursing pageantry in post-9/11 world. She’s overcome a long battle with bulimia to reach a healthy weight. And perhaps most importantly of all, she’s overcome a lifetime of hurtful comments about her appearance, even from within her own community, to become confident, secure woman she is today.

It’s about time young girls of South Asian ancestry, or any minority group for that matter, had a role model they can actually relate to. Someone who they can look at and say, ‘Wow. America’s most beautiful woman is dark-skinned and curvy just like me.’

Perhaps Dalvuluri said it best in an interview with The Chew‘s Carla Hall about TV host Julie Chen’s plastic surgery to make her eyes look ‘less Asian’. “I’ve always viewed Miss America as the girl next door,” she said. “And the girl next door is evolving as diversity in America evolves. She’s not who she was ten years ago, and she’s not going to be the same person come ten years down the road.”

Dalvuluri, a University of Michigan graduate with a degree in brain behavior and cognitive science, plans to apply to medical school with help from $50,000 scholarship she won Sunday night.